In West Virginia we’ve been hearing for awhile now about how many young people are leaving the state and how hard it is for them to stay.

Turns out, there’s a totally different way to think about being a young person in Appalachia.

That’s what the It’s Good To Be Young in The Mountains conference in Harlan County, Kentucky is all about. Originated by the community arts group, Higher Ground, they get together once a year to celebrate what it means to be a young person in Appalachia while providing workshops on essential life skills and hobbies.

Alexia Ault, a VISTA serving with Berea College and a coordinator of the 2017 Conference, said the need for this conference became evident after Higher Grounds original play, “Find a Way.”

“What we don’t want to happen is to have a bunch of established leaders to come in and take over. We want these young people to have their voice heard.”

The play featured a family of characters that represented different concepts, including a character that represents the coal industry. This character dies halfway through the play, leaving the family to deal with his loss.

Ault said the play was written through real conversations with students in the Harlan area. She said it made evident that there was a need to teach basic life skills, such as finances and sex education, as well as the ability to find jobs and realize what options existed in the mountains for young people.

The first IGTBYITM featured loads of panels, not just concerning basic life skills. They also taught fun things, such as t-shirt screen printing. Ault said they used social media to ask what people wanted to teach and let anyone that wanted to create a panel.

“People would say, ‘I know how to do pottery, can I lead a pottery workshop?’ I don’t think we turned anyone away,” Ault said.

The the name of IGTBYITM implies that it is primarily for young people, Ault said there is no strict age requirements.

“Our demographic is very fluid, there’s no set rule. We ask participants to interpret young however they feel comfortable,” Ault said.

However, she also said it is important that the conversations happen with local young people. Without letting young people express their concerns, IGTBYITM loses its purpose.

“What we don’t want to happen is to have a bunch of established leaders to come in and take over. We want these young people to have their voice heard,” Ault said.

The 2017 conference was buzzing with positivity and it helped remind me that it really is good to be young in the mountains. It reminded me how beautiful Appalachia is and just how much young people are capable of.

Photo from Out in the South: Central Appalachia, in Charleston on May 23.

All of us Hubbers are often involved in community events and organizing in our own communities, outside of our roles with The Hub.

I am no different. I have been involved with The STAY Project as a member since July 2016 and as a Steering Committee Member since November 2016. In my role with STAY, I worked to recruit folks to the recent Out in the South: Central Appalachia convening that happened in Charleston on May 23, in partnership with the Appalachian Community Fund.

The goal of this convening was to pull together queer folks, and organizations that serve queer folks, in West Virginia to talk about the bright spots and not so bright spots that we recognize in our communities as queer people.

In the two years that I’ve lived in West Virginia I have relentlessly sought out a physical space where queer folks gather, and until Tuesday I was not satisfied.

There were folks in the room of all ages – from high school students to older adults. There were folks from Roane County, Fayette County, Raleigh County, Boone County, Mingo County, Kanawha County, and maybe more. There were lesbians, gay men, bisexual folks, trans folks, allies, and more. And everyone had something different to say about their community.

For me, the most important community I’m a part of doesn’t hold a physical space – it’s people. It’s the people who make me feel loved, valued, safe, and whole – all things that sometimes can’t be found in a physical space.

In the two years that I’ve lived in West Virginia I have relentlessly sought out a physical space where queer folks gather, and until Tuesday I was not satisfied.

I recognized that we all go through very similar challenges, but because we are rural folks, and because we are so spread out from one another, we often get stuck by obstacles in our way.

But in this space where we can talk, exist in solidarity, and organize, that’s how we can move forward.

It’s not that different from community development for a physical community. You have to get together face to face, recognize the obstacles in your way, and develop a plan to address those obstacles. That’s building power, and without power you can’t organize, and if you can’t organize you can’t change things.

I hope that folks will continue to advocate for that third space to gather, organize, and build power.

I so enjoyed the opportunity to convene with so many beautiful people. I enjoyed hearing their stories, seeing them smile, and building a community just in that room.

I hope that folks will continue to advocate for that third space to gather, organize, and build power.

I’m also going to insert a shameless plug for The STAY Project, an organization that was founded specifically for the purpose of creating safe spaces for young Central Appalachians to gather, organize, plan, and advocate for safer, more inclusive, and healthier communities.

This organization changed my life y’all. It gave me access to that non-physical community that I never knew existed, right here at home. It gave me the opportunity to step up and be an organizer for young queer folks in West Virginia and Central Appalachia. It also gave me the opportunity to shine under pressure, to learn networking and leadership skills from other young leaders, and much more.

If the kind of stuff I’ve talked about in this blog post sounds like your jam, check out The STAY Project on social media and their website.

And they are holding their Summer Institute in West Virginia this year! So if you are 14-30 years old and living in Central Appalachia, join them at the Appalachian South Folk Life Center July 6-9 in Pipestem, West Virginia.

Held in Morgantown on June 16 and 17, New Story 2017 is a two-day festival of workshops, screenings, demos and spitballing about media, DIY placemaking, communications, tech, entrepreneurship, organizing, dreaming big and rabble-rousing in Appalachia.

With sessions planned around tech and media innovation, film and photography, creative placemaking, the brand of Appalachian cuisine and how to launch DIY media outlets, New Story brings together hundreds of the region’s most creative, hardworking and dynamic people to Morgantown to share ideas, network, celebrate and hatch new plans.

New Story is hosted by the West Virginia Community Development Hub, in partnership with the West Virginia University Reed College of Media.

The inspiration for the first New Story, in 2016, was to give a platform to all the positive, optimistic and progressive things that were happening in the region.

The Hub knows that there are innovative people doing extraordinary things here. And they have complete disregard for the preconceived notions and stereotypes about what is happening in West Virginia, and the kind of people that live and work here.

But, we believe that their stories often get overlooked in favor of the dominant narrative in the region of poverty, struggle and decline. The message of New Story is that if you are smart, ambitious, creative and eager to build something new, there is a whole community of people here ready to help you.

Over the next few weeks we’ll be highlighting some of the many brave and passionate people that will be appearing at New Story in Morgantown on June 16 & 17.
Today, it’s the West Virginians behind OSAY.co.
For more information, and to register for this free event, visit newstory17.splashthat.com

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Used to be that West Virginian grit and ingenuity was a thing that bloomed underground.

Not anymore. These days you find it in the cloud.

“Sticking it to the man” – or, more politely, challenging authority – is a character trait deeply ingrained in Appalachian DNA. Back in the day it used to look like labor strikes and forged lives of independence on the land.

In 2016, three not-to-be-trifled-with West Virginians – Jennifer Susman, Carling McManus and Ankur Kumar – created and launched OSAY, an online tool that helps fired-up advocates use social media to press elected leaders and influence policy.

(Pronounced “oh say”, OSAY is a reference to the first line of the National Anthem.)

OSAY demonstrates the innovation, creativity and brilliance at work here in West Virginia right now.

It is the product of a time in which a lot of people – and particularly young people – are frustrated with their elected leaders, and believe that politicians should be more responsive to the demands of citizens.

Rather than complain aimlessly and point fingers, Jennifer, Carling and Ankur decided to take action. And so they built OSAY, the first platform of its kind that harnesses the voice and energy of social media into targeted campaigns to influence the West Virginia legislature, and even federal policy.

“OSAY is about providing everyday folks with the tools and education they need to become engaged advocates,” goes the OSAY creation story. “It’s about holding the smallest and largest political offices accountable… And it’s about mobilizing citizens to make positive change in their communities.”

As well as being a magnificent example of what savvy people can do to reinvent civic and political action, OSAY also demonstrates the innovation, creativity and brilliance at work here in West Virginia right now.

And that’s why we’ll be talking to the creators of OSAY at New Story. Because New Story is all about showcasing local brilliance.

Maybe they’re organizing city council candidate forums and spreading the word about the importance of voting in local elections, or working to address the needs of your town’s most vulnerable. Whoever they are, if they’re working to put West Virginia first through service to others- the Governor would like to honor them!

Don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate those in your community who give so much of themselves and expect so little in return.

Volunteer West Virginia is now accepting nominations for West Virginia’s most prestigious volunteer award, the Governor’s Service Award. The award aims to celebrate individuals, families, and organizations working to solve community problems in an innovative manner.

Outstanding mountaineers selected as recipients of the award will be honored at a special banquet at the Culture Center in Charleston on September 14th, 2017. So take the next five minutes and nominate the neighbor who never gives up on your town! Don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate those in your community who give so much of themselves and expect so little in return.

￼￼All nominations must be postmarked or emailed by 5pm on Friday, June 30, 2017.

If you have questions about the Governor’s Service Awards please contact Moya Doneghyat (304) 558-0111.

The Governor’s Service Awards banquet is coordinated by Volunteer West Virginia, the State’s Commission for National and Community Service. Volunteer West Virginia challenges mountaineers to strengthen their communities through service and volunteerism by identifying and mobilizing resources, promoting an ethic of service, and empowering communities to solve problems and improve the quality of life for individuals and families.

I had never presented at a conference, let alone on research that I had done. I went into the conference very nervous because I did not know what to expect, but after meeting other hosts and the coordinators my nervousness subsided and I was ready to go!

I had a room full of high school students, Marshall Students and community members who were very excited to learn from the different workshops. They were very inquisitive and were very willing to take action in any way that they could. I was able to learn a lot from the different workshops, too, and from the questions asked by the audience.

I never at any point felt like I was alone or lost. This conference created a network of leaders who are eager to educate the community.

Everyone that I encountered from registration to presenting, and even a year later, has been very friendly, helpful, and eager to learn.

I never at any point felt like I was alone or lost. I was able to meet several amazing individuals that I have had the pleasure of working with after the conference and that I am still in contact with.

This conference created a network of leaders who are eager to educate the community by presenting on topics near and dear to them.

To anyone who is interested I would recommend presenting at this year’s Young West Virginia Power Building Conference, happening Sept 8 – 10 at Marshall. It is an amazing experience that will stick with you for a very long time.

The STAY (Stay Together Appalachian Youth) Project has played an important role in the lives of many young Appalachians in the past six years.

STAY’s mission is to serve as a diverse regional network of young people working together to create, advocate for and participate in safe, sustainable, engaging and inclusive communities throughout Appalachia and beyond.

STAY members are hard at work advocating in their communities all across the region, and you can find them engaging other young people in Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky, and West Virginia.

But we’d like to highlight the special opportunities that West Virginians will have to engage with The STAY Project this year.

In Charleston on May 23, Out in the South will bring queer folk of all ages together with organizations that serve queer folk for an opportunity to connect, celebrate, share stories and resources, and connect the dots between apparent needs and sources of LGBTQ+ funding.

The STAY Project’s most well known event is the STAY Summer Institute (SSI), an annual gathering of all STAY members, where a bunch of folks get together for youth leadership development, celebration, and collective learning and growth.

SSI rotates to a new state in the region every year. This year the institute will be hosted in West Virginia!

This summer, STAY members will gather at the Appalachian South Folklife Center in Pipestem, July 6 – 9, where they will engage new members and bring new people into their network.

Are you between the ages of 14 and 30? Do you live in central Appalachia? Register for SSI 2017 here!

To learn more about STAY, you can become a member here. You can also connect with the organization on Facebook here, and find STAY on Instagram and Twitter @stayproject.

Are you working class? A woman? A person of color? Under the age of 34?

If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, your state and local elected officials do not proportionately represent you.

Women, who account for 51 percent of West Virginia’s total population, comprise a mere 13.4 percent of the 2017 West Virginia State Legislature.

West Virginians ages 18 to 34 comprise 20 percent of the Mountain State’s population. Prior to the 2016 election, this demographic held less than 5 percent of seats in the statehouse. Today, 18 to 34 year olds hold 16 seats in the state legislative body, or almost 12 percent, a significant increase but still not adequately representative.

In 2014, less than 3 percent of the legislature was comprised of people of color; however, people of color account for 6 percent of West Virginia’s population.

And more than half – 52 percent – of West Virginia’s population is comprised of low-income workers, yet this population accounted for less than 5 percent of the 2014 Legislature.

At the same time as older white males dominate elected in office in West Virginia, many of the seats they occupy are uncontested in elections. Data gathered by StateofOurCommunities.org, a research project of The Hub, shows that 29 percent of city council seats in West Virginia’s 10 largest cities were won in uncontested races in the latest cycle of local elections between 2014 and 2016.

With the recognition that running for office can be intimidating for many people, a group of savvy West Virginians got together and created the West Virginia Candidate Training Academy a few years ago with a mission of training people to get more engaged in the political process, running local campaigns, and vying for elected office.

The Candidate Training Academy aims to compel those who wouldn’t traditionally run for elected office to explore the option. Their trainings covers real, practical information that people need to run a successful campaign. Over the course of eight hours, participants will learn how to craft stump speeches, the costs associated with running a campaign, communication methods, fundraising strategies, and more.

You don’t have to be a seasoned politico to run for office and win in West Virginia.

Of the 108 folks that took part in the Candidate Training Academy in 2015, 35 ran for elected office in 2016, and 11 were successful in their bids for elected office.

The Candidate Training Academy is strictly nonpartisan; no political party, ideology, or platform will be promoted. The 2017 Academy will make its debut this Saturday in Morgantown with a candidate training by and for women! Interested? Register here!

If you love Big Band music (or are a former band geek that misses the sound of brass,) I think we may have the event for you.

At 7 p.m. this Friday, April 28 at the historic Boone Heritage and Arts Center, the Madison-Danville Jaycees will present “Spring Swing,” where the Southern West Virginia Southern Community Band will be playing some of their favorites.

The concert is, among other things, a fundraiser for the Madison-Danville Jaycees. If you’ve never heard of the Jaycees, let me fill you in.

This event can help you swing into the season while also giving you more options to get involved in your community.

The Jaycees is an international volunteer organization composed of members between the ages of 18 and 40. It provides leadership opportunities to our members through projects that improve their community.

The Madison-Danville Jaycees in action.

Here at the Madison-Danville Jaycees, we try to do a few different things.

First of all, we work to create a community for young people here.

We want to make sure our membership gets to know each other and provide opportunities for that to happen. We host social gatherings, go on hikes, go bowling and so much more.

Secondly, we are here to serve the community.

Leading projects allows our members to gain leadership experience that they can use to pursue jobs in the future.

We do this in a variety of ways, such as fundraising for local charities, roadside cleanup, community beautification, and community awareness campaigns.

We also try to provide entertainment for our community. In the past, we have held concerts, film festivals, Zumba-thons and murder mystery dinner shows.

That is where Spring Swing fits in. It is a fundraiser for us, but it also is just something fun for the people of the Madison-Danville area.

This is just a sample of what we do as the Jaycees, and we are always open to new ideas and new members.

Leading projects allows our members to gain leadership experience that they can use to pursue jobs in the future. There are also trainings and networking opportunities offered at the local, state, national and international levels.

Maybe this event can help you swing into the season while also giving you more options to get involved in your community.

During the 2015-2016 school year, a study by the CARDIAC project reported that 48 percent of West Virginia fifth graders were overweight or obese. The same study also found that 35 percent of second graders and 34 percent of kindergartners were overweight or obese. The national prevalence rate of obesity in the United States is roughly 17 percent.

Together a group of 25 self motivated students are building a mobile concession cart that will feature an array of delicious, healthy alternatives to the traditional foods served at school concession stands.

A few West Virginians have opted to tackle this pervasive health issues head on. Jenny Anderson is one of those people.

In 2010, Jenny, an involved community member and proud mom, began working with a group of second grade students at Barboursville Elementary School. What initially began as an exploration of how to keep children moving and physically active throughout the school day has had a lasting impact on the students and the community.

Today, those second graders are in middle school and they’re healthy lifestyle trailblazers!

Do you remember your school concession stand? When I was in school, they typically sold an array of hot dogs, nachos, pizza and soda. I don’t recall many healthy options.

Photo by Barboursville Wellness Council

The Barboursville Youth Wellness Council is about to change that. The group of 25 motivated students is building a mobile concession cart, supported by a Try This mini-grant, that will feature a variety of delicious, healthy food alternatives.

The West Virginia Board of Education has jumped on the bandwagon and agreed to help fund the cart, which the students fittingly dubbed Wheelie Good Food.

Now, they’re working to construct their cart from the ground up. To craft their menu, the youth wellness council plans to survey the students on their favorite healthy foods.

They are also working with West Virginia Department of Agriculture to expand their school garden, which they’ll use to supply their cart with fresh, tasty, homegrown foods!

The Wheelie Good Food crew is even working to incorporate physical activity components, including a bicycle that, when peddled, will mix a smoothie.

While they recognize that they’re not going to rid their community of sugary snacks and drinks altogether, they say it’s all about simply offering a healthier alternative.

The Wheelie Good Food crew is even working to incorporate physical activity components, including a bicycle that, when peddled, will mix a smoothie.

Over the last two years, the Barboursville community has banded together to create a school garden, find funding for water bottle filling stations in both Barboursville Middle and the Village of Barboursville Elementary school, and launched community-wide health conversations.

This year alone, they’ve raised $12,000 for their school garden. How has this community been so successful in addressing childhood health? It’s simple. They engaged their young people in the process.

To formalize their work, parents and educators created the Barboursville Community Wellness Council in 2016 to help bridge the gap between the community and the schools. The Community Council engages educators, parents, and community members to organize, implement and fund health-related projects in Barboursville.

Not only have these folks fostered a culture of health in Barboursville, but they’ve provided their youth with an early crash course in community collaboration!

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